Johnnie Carr Laid to Rest

Montgomery, AL (WSFA-TV) - She was a Civil Rights icon, a pillar in the community, a Christian, mother, and a friend.

Johnnie Carr's presence broke through the barriers of segregation and opression.

"She looked at Montgomery and got the notion of one Montgomery, without walls between East and West, and said "why not," recalled Rep. Artur Davis at Carr's funeral.

That thinking set in motion a chain of events that would blur the lines of color throughout the city, the state, and the nation--paving the way for future leaders and leaving a legacy in her wake.

"When she took her stand, it made a difference and changed the entire world, and a world that will be forever changed because she lived," explained Slocumb Mayor Vickie Moore.

As family and friends said their final goodbyes, a sense of celebration rang through the crowd.

The reflection of a woman strongly devoted to change and dedicated to progress.

"Mrs. Johnnie Carr may have been small in stature, but she was a giant in our community. She was a woman of strength, a woman of courage, of faith, and a woman of great perseverance," said Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright.

Although Carr is gone, her memories--and all she strived for--will live on.

It's a comforting thought as we close the door on a life that changed the world.

WSFA Staff

In the nation's capital, two possible 2020 contenders, former Vice President Joe Biden and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg spoke at a breakfast celebrating King's life that was held by the Rev. Al Sharpton.